Dominion plans wind, solar facility in Kitty Hawk, OBX
Dominion plans wind, solar facility in Kitty Hawk, OBX.
Dominion North Carolina Power wants to delve into renewable energy with the launch of a three-year research project to capture wind and solar power at its district office on The Woods Road in Kitty Hawk.
Plans feature four wind turbines, a ground-mounted solar panel and a battery storage system.
Officials from the utility’s Alternative Energy Solutions group say the microgrid project should be up and running by December.
Energy harnessed at the site would be used at the district office to reduce the amount of power it pulls from the grid, says the group’s project manager Sarah Cosby. The utility would also use the experimental system to gather data on renewable energy and how it may be able to use it in the future.
Before moving forward, Dominion must secure a text amendment to Kitty Hawk’s zoning ordinance to allow for up to four wind turbines with a maximum height of 70 feet. Currently under town code, the maximum for such structures is 35 feet maximum.
While there are several other wind turbines on the Outer Banks, the windmills at the 30-acre district office would be a first for Kitty Hawk. Over the past several years, there have been turbines erected at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Jennette’s Pier and the Outer Banks Brewing Station.
In addition to a 70-foot turbine, the power company would install three other 45-foot turbines.
The barrier island makes an ideal setting to harness wind power, said Jim Norvelle, director of media relations for Dominion’s Alternative Energy Solutions group.
The project would also harness solar energy using a ground-mounted panel. A battery storage system would store the energy for a later time.
“The challenge with renewable energy is that the wind doesn’t always blow when you need it to blow and the sun doesn’t always shine when you need it to shine,” Norvelle said. “The battery system makes renewable energy dispatchable. It allows us to store the energy and use it at a later time.”
The microgrid will be integrated with the existing utility service and diesel standby generator so it can “island” itself during a power outage, said Cosby.
“It could provide a certain level of resiliency,” he said.
The group would also study the effects of weather events on the system as well as the extent to which a microgrid could provide power during an outage.
Another component of includes the installation of kiosks so the public can learn more about the project. Large computer screens will provide real-time data on the energy being harnessed. A website will also provide data for the public.
During the three-year period, Dominion will submit data reports on its findings to the N.C. Utilities Commission. The microgrid will continue to operate after the research period, but data reports to the commission will conclude, Cosby said.
The Kitty Hawk Town Council will hold a public hearing next month on the proposed text amendments to the town ordinance to allow for the turbines with an increase in maximum height. If adopted, the allowances would be specific to the research project.
Written by: Michelle Wagner
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